Invisible Bounds
by psquare
Summary: [Operation Overdrive] [DaxRose] He was a much better actor than what they assumed. She probably just wasn't smart enough. A series of ficlets that follow the intricacies of Dax and Rose's relationship through the series.
1. Stunted

_**A/N:**_ Me? Series of Romance ficlets? Better look out everybody, the universe has warped and folded upon itself.

That aside, do enjoy.

**Warning:** Mild Spoilers ahead. Rated T for some low-key swearing.

_**1: Stunt-ed**_

**Set in:** "Kick Into Overdrive I"

For the first time in his life, Dax Lo felt small.

There had been moments, several of them, too many to count, when he had felt put down, humiliated, ignored and shunned – but he had always managed to bounce back (a characteristic that might have had an influence on the selection of his genetic power, but that was an issue for another day); a part of him that constantly reminded him that he was edging closer to his lifetime dream – that the kind of fame he was hoping for was just that one jump, that one motorcycle stunt, that one death-defying leap away – kept propping him up, kept his spirits alive.

Until…

Until _this_ happened.

He was a _Power Ranger_, dammit, he was supposed to be excited, what was merely a bunch of wires, kick and graphics before was now _real_, solid, _state-of-the-bloody-art_; he was actually _going to go out there_ and _save _the world, with his _actual_ powers and _actual_ spandex suit and insanely powerful weapons from_ actual_ alien villains, and…

And yet, with his _actual_ teammates, in an _actual_ underground hi-tech headquarters, Dax Lo felt incredibly small.

He looked to his side to see… to see _her_, decked out in black and pink, roguish, self-assured smile resplendent on her face as she soaked in… well, whatever Mr. Hartford was trying to tell them. Occasionally she would interrupt with a correction or remark, eyes shining with a practised smugness that suggested that she was used to correcting those older than her.

And it was this that was making Dax uncomfortable.

He was in a room full of prolific achievers – well, it didn't seem like Mack had done anything extraordinary, but hey, he was a rich kid and it didn't seem as though he was going to get to be a Ranger – and his own background – a naïve stuntman – in comparison to them… _her_… seemed… inadequate. Almost lowly. Like he didn't deserve to be in the same team as them… _her_. Just her presence seemed to have quashed that little place in him that had stood up to the worst kind of humiliations Hollywood had to offer, and yet opened up places that he had never bothered about before.

Funny that Rose Ortiz, barely hours after their first meeting, had already managed to turn his world upside down.


	2. Shaken

_**2: Shaken**_

**Set in:** "Kick Into Overdrive II"

It was getting quite comfortable.

There were things, Rose thought, that you can always get used to. She had just been part of a spandex-clad team wielding all kinds of super-weapons that seemed to materialise out of thin air, that had just saved the entire city from being destroyed by a volcano, but now… she was cool with it. Immersed in all that technology, all that wonderful detail and information in Overdrive headquarters… she felt quite at home.

She looked to Ronnie beside her – her eyes were glazed with wonder as she stared at their vehicles on the screen, and Rose could've sworn she was drooling. "It's kind of unfortunate Mack won't be able to use all of this," she murmured.

"Yeah," Rose said. "He was pretty good today as Red Ranger."

Will made a noise of assent from her other side. His eyes – gleaming, intelligent, calculating – were constantly roaming the room, taking in everything they possibly could. He was trying desperately to hide his suspicion, Rose could see – she hadn't expected anything else. Being a former spy and safecracker, he was probably their single biggest asset, and also their biggest weak spot.

Dax was wandering around headquarters aimlessly, a huge grin splitting his face and his eyes sparking with delight, like a child at a new amusement park. Rose fought the urge to roll her eyes.

Once again, she looked to the screen and closed her eyes as that beautiful feeling washed through her again. Despite the suddenness of everything that had happened – the calling, the genetic powers, the weapons and the alien villains – everything and everybody was like what she had predicted, calculated. The technology, the _detail_… the perfect blend of myth, science and power… it was _wonderful…_

An alarm that resounded through the room broke her out of her thoughts.

"Guys," Ronnie said, "I think that's our signal. We've got to go."

Rose nodded, opened her eyes, turned around and… nearly bumped into _him_.

A pair of eyes of startling intensity were… were _looking_ at… _her_, and they… they… belonged to _him_… Myriad emotions were flitting through them… on display like a lovely kaleidoscope… she fancied a bit of sadness, a hint of regret… interspersed with delight that knew no bounds…

"Rose? Hey, you coming?"

She blinked. "I believe that's '_are_ you coming', Mr. Lo," she said automatically.

He grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Erm… sorry." He turned around. "We should be going."

She followed him, that wonderful feeling inexplicably shattered, shaken.

She suspected it wasn't going to be the first time.


	3. Home

_**3: Home**_

**Set in:** At the end of "Kick Into Overdrive II"

"You know, after that cool pep talk and all, I was hoping we'd go on another mission immediately."

"Well, _Dax_, as admirable as your spirit is, I think we deserve a bit of a break now. You know, relax for a while. Try out those new zords of ours. Again. And again, and…"

"Whoa, Ronnie, chill. I have a feeling that the best of the vehicles is yet to come."

"Knowing my father, Will, I'd say that's about true."

"Whatever, whatever. I still think we ought to be _doing_ something _now_, and –"

Rose's patience broke. She snapped _War and Peace _shut with an audible snort. "I'll tell you what you ought to be _doing_ – just shut up. And if you're so restless, go and _try _to learn something about the technology you're going to be using oh-so-blindly."

There was silence after that, broken by a small wince and a muttered "Ouch" from Will. Mack laughed – an uncertain, rather weak laugh. "What's gotten you so riled up, Rose? It was just a friendly conversation."

"I think, Mack," Rose said, "that it's too early to be sitting around engaging in empty banter. We became Rangers, what? 10 hours ago?"

Will watched her, gaze narrowed, amused. Like she was some freak show at a circus. "So?"

"_So_," Rose said, voice clipped, looking right into his eyes (_God, they're so calculating_), "I think we ought to be behaving a lot more professionally."

His gaze slipped to the book in her hand. "Don't see anything professional in _War and Peace_, personally."

Mack had made an error in judgement when he had called Rose 'riled up' earlier, she felt. If she wasn't angry then, she certainly was now. Rose opened her mouth to let fly a suitable retort when Dax spoke up.

"Guys, _guys_, this is _home_. No need to argue."

Rose's mouth shut abruptly as she snapped her gaze onto him. Ronnie raised an eyebrow and said, half-laughingly, "What?"

Dax blinked and repeated, "You know, _home_. We're going to be practically _living_ together here. So what's the big deal in trying to get to know each other?"

_Home_. Rose hadn't had a proper home in years. Not since she was a toddler and was recognised as a genius. Since then she had simply rushed through school, university, and now… and now… the concept was entirely alien to her, and she marvelled at how… how _simply _Dax spoke about it, how _familiar_ he seemed with the word, its tremendous, tremendous implications…

Somehow he caught her gaze, and those expressive eyes lit up in a wide grin. "Things are only just beginning. Give it a chance."

_Home. Friends. Team. Family._ The thought infused some kind of warmth that rose in her chest, slowly, inexorably. She found herself smiling back at him. "Yeah. A home deserves one, after all."

The rest of the world faded away for an infinitesimal second as his smile – _that annoyingly huge, huge smile_ – widened even further, before the moment was broken, and in an almost jarring note, the voices of the others leaked into her world. She smiled, put her book away and leaned forward, determined to relax.

After all, she was finally home.


End file.
